Urgent Update: Tanith Belbin Citizenship | Golden Skate

Urgent Update: Tanith Belbin Citizenship

leon

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 25, 2003
An email from Tanith Belbin's attorney:
Subject: Tanith Belbin Citizenship: Urgent Update
Date: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 2:14 PM


I am writing to you personally, because you each contacted our office regarding contacting Congress in support of the legislation to help Tanith Belbin receive citizenship in time for the Olympics. Yesterday, Senator Levin of Michigan introduced an amendment to a pending appropriations bill that would enable Tanith to apply for citizenship.

This amendment should come up for a vote on the floor of the Senate today or tomorrow. We are asking Tanith's supporters to contact your senators and urge them to support Senator Levin's EB-1 amendment, which is being offered today or tomorrow on the Senate floor as an amendment to the Labor/HHS Appropriations Bill (HR 3010). In addition, please urge your senator to express his or her support to Senator Levin for sponsoring the amendment and to Senator Specter, who is the head of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The main switchboard number for the Senate is (202) 224 -3121. You also can find the direct contact information for each Senate office on this website: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Thank you again for your support. Fan support has been invaluable in getting the measure farther than we thought possible, and we urge you to forward this to anyone else who might be interested in helping Tanith and Ben represent the United States.
 
Last edited:

leon

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 25, 2003
I called Delaware Senators Biden and Carper's offices basically reading the info from the attorney's letter. The staff took down my information and hopefully will be responsive. Would be very nice if skating fans could help the Olympics have one of the best dance teams in the world in Torino. It is not just a USA thing, all of skating benefits when the best compete.
 

Frau Muller

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 1, 2005
I've already e-mailed AND faxed the following letter to both of my Senators, Bob Byrd & Jay Rockefeller (WV). I thought that the general lay-out of the text may be of help. Movin' fast...
*********************
October 25, 2005

The Hon. Robert Byrd [substitute your senator]
Senator, West Virginia [substitute your state]
U.S. Senate

Re. Support of Sen. Levin’s EB-1 Amendment for Fast-Track U.S. Citizenship for Tanith Belbin

Dear Senator Byrd: [change name]

As a long-time figure-skating fan from Huntington [your city/town], I urge you to support Senator Levin's EB-1 amendment to expedite U.S. Citizenship for Miss Tanith Belbin of Detroit – U.S. Ice Dance Champion & current World Silver medalist with partner Benjamin Agosto. Currently a Canadian, Ms. Belbin must be a U.S. citizen in order to participate in the 2006 Winter Olympics. The team of Belbin/Agosto is America’s greatest hope for a Gold Medal in Ice Dancing since ice dance was added to the Olympics in 1976! In fact, the Belbin/Agosto team is probably America’s surest hope to make the ‘podium’ in any figure skating discipline at this Olympics.

Sen Levin’s EB-1 amendment is being offered today (Oct. 25, 2005) or tomorrow on the Senate floor as an amendment to the Labor/HHS Appropriations Bill (HR 3010).

Please help! The U.S. figure skating community and fans at large will be forever grateful to you for this!!!

Sincerely,
[your name]
********************
 
Last edited:

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
I just sent emails off... though it's now 7pm down there so my guess they've either already voted or will do so tomorrow
still I can still bug them (and maybe it'll actually get attention as the senators know my gparents and so my name might get noticed. a girl canhope)
 

Doggygirl

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
Just what else is part of this appropriations bill, where Tanith's citizenship (or a broader change in citizenship is part of an ammendment? "Appropriations" generally has to do with how taxpayer money is spent. I'm personally not going to be contacting any Senators urging support of a bill that might impact how MY hard earned money is spent, just to support an athlete for an Oly season.

I know that the bill number was indicated in the initial post. Has anyone else looked this up to see exactly what we're being asked to support in full (not just the part that benefits Tanith)?

DG
 

julietvalcouer

Final Flight
Joined
Sep 10, 2005
It's an appropriations bill. God alone knows what's in there. Most of the Senators don't know exactly everything in it, because they tend to be more than 1000 pages long and full of pork projects. Levin's putting it on this bill because that's the easiest way to sneak a rider through--stick it on one of the giant appropriations bills because no one (except Senator Coburn, apparently) reads those things in their entirety.

Though be consoled that there is a chance, however, small, that crap will be weeded out--the bill had to originate in the House, and will go to conference committee before being finalized.
 

soogar

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
Doggygirl said:
Just what else is part of this appropriations bill, where Tanith's citizenship (or a broader change in citizenship is part of an ammendment? "Appropriations" generally has to do with how taxpayer money is spent. I'm personally not going to be contacting any Senators urging support of a bill that might impact how MY hard earned money is spent, just to support an athlete for an Oly season.


DG


:laugh: :laugh: I so agree with you on this one. I'm not going to bug my senator to vote for a bill just so Tanith can with an Olympic medal. It's not like Tanith is paying *my* taxes and I don't want my tax dollars going to some weird organization either.
 

Ptichka

Forum translator
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Official Title of the bill: Making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes.

Full summary of the bill
 

Ptichka

Forum translator
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Levin's ammendment is not on the list of those that will be discussed tomorrow, though the senate.gov only says that the ammendment has been submitted. Voting on the overall bill is expected on Thursday.

If anyone is interested, here is the full text of the Levin ammendment (found here):
SA 2195. Mr. LEVIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3010, making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. __.(a) Section 316 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1427), is amended by adding at the end the following:

``(g) The continuous residency requirement under subsection (a) may be reduced to 3 years for an applicant for naturalization if--

``(1) the applicant is the beneficiary of an approved petition for classification under section 204(a)(1)(E);

``(2) the applicant has been approved for adjustment of status under section 245(a); and

``(3) such reduction is necessary for the applicant to represent the United States at an international event.

``(h)(1) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall adjudicate an application for naturalization under this section not later than 30 days after the submission of such application if the applicant--

``(A) requests such expedited adjudication in order to represent the United States at an international event; and

``(B) demonstrates that such expedited adjudication is related to such representation.

``(2) An applicant is ineligible for expedited adjudication under paragraph (1) if the Secretary of Homeland Security determines that such expedited adjudication poses a risk to national security. Such a determination by the Secretary shall not be subject to review.''.

(b) There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Homeland Security for the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, $100,000 for fiscal year 2006, to review applications for naturalization submitted by applicants who are eligible for the reduced residency requirement or expedited adjudication under subsections (g) and (h) of 316 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as added by subsection (a).

(c) The amendment made by subsection (a) is repealed on October 1, 2006.
 

mzheng

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
Frau Muller said:
Not one word about Tanith specifically. Hmmm...
She is only one of the ppl in these group that the bill addressed......So it's not like some said their tax dollar goes to Tanith......It's just type of thousands bill that try to make things right for group of ppl who falling into the critirias......when the tobaco bill arm bill worked their way to the senator house, they also only benefit certain group of ppl. do we say our tax dollar wasted?
 

Doggygirl

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
mzheng said:
She is only one of the ppl in these group that the bill addressed......So it's not like some said their tax dollar goes to Tanith......It's just type of thousands bill that try to make things right for group of ppl who falling into the critirias......when the tobaco bill arm bill worked their way to the senator house, they also only benefit certain group of ppl. do we say our tax dollar wasted?

This is not about tax dollars going to Tanith. And of course Tanith isn't mentioned as the only way for something like this to properly be addressed by the Congress is to impact the rules that are affecting her for all people that are affected by these same rules. My issue is with "urging Senators to vote for the bill" solely based on the impact it would have on Tanith and the Olympics when many other significant issues that I don't necessarily agree with are part of this same bill.

DG
 

Ptichka

Forum translator
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Doggygirl, I am with you in that I wouldn't urge my senators to vote for the whole bill just because of Tanith; then again the overall bill should pass anyway. However, when there is a discussion about ammendments, I see nothing wrong with asking legislators to support including the ammendment in the overall bill.
 

Frau Muller

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 1, 2005
How sad that there are people in this world who use the good intentions of some to serve their own, very different, agenda. Well, I wrote my senators with best intentions. There are still a few of us suckers in this world. Groan.....:mad:

Here's another thought:

Perhaps the Russian, Ukrainean & French Embassies in Washington are paying lobbyists to counter-act this bill? Certainly, Ukraine & France stand to lose-out if Tanith & Ben go to Turin? Oh, the intrigue! :rofl:
 
Last edited:

Doggygirl

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
Ptichka said:
Doggygirl, I am with you in that I wouldn't urge my senators to vote for the whole bill just because of Tanith; then again the overall bill should pass anyway. However, when there is a discussion about ammendments, I see nothing wrong with asking legislators to support including the ammendment in the overall bill.

I really think we're on the same page. The legislative process is complex (well, at least all the bills under consideration seem complex!!). I support EVERYONE's right to communicate with their elected representatives on any/all legistlative matters. I was really just expressing my personal view that I won't urge my elected representatives to support / not support a broader bill for the sole purposes of supporting one ammendment, if I don't agree with the broader bill.

DG
 

mzheng

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
SailorGalaxia518 said:
Now it's just the matter of the underlying bill that needs to be passed and then I think were home free

:rock: :rock:
So there is still process right? Will it in time for B/A in Olympics? What's the dead line date Tanith needs to be US citizen in order to represent US?
 

Ravyn Rant

Totally 80s Dance Party!
Medalist
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
From your mouth to the diety's ears, Sailor G! I probably wrote my senators too late for my letter to have an effect, but thanks to Senators Boxer & Feinstein anyway.
 
Top